Enyinnaya Abaribe, the Senator for Abia South, has cautioned the federal government against granting state administrations direct control over funds designated for state police forces. During the Senate discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state-level law enforcement, Abaribe emphasized that financial resources should be explicitly protected by the constitution and routed straight to an independent oversight commission.
The legislator argued that this structural safeguard is essential to avoid the fiscal issues currently affecting local government allocations. Abaribe expressed concerns that without guaranteed, direct funding, state police officers might be forced to rely on unconventional means to sustain their operations, potentially leading to an increase in unnecessary security checkpoints, similar to those already problematic in the Southeast.
While acknowledging his past opposition to the concept of state-run policing, the Senator stated that the severity of Nigeria’s current security crisis necessitates new approaches. He noted that although states possess more revenue today than in previous years, centralized constitutional funding remains the only way to ensure the police force remains effective and accountable rather than beholden to the interests of state governors.
